The Nurse

• "Faith I can tell her age unto the hour"-The Nurse, Act 1:3


  This shows the strong relationship between the nurse and Juliet, and this is arguably a direct contrast between Juliet and her real mother, Lady Capulet
• "Well Susan is with God, she was too good for me"-The Nurse, Act 1:3


  Shows potentially the nurse had a daughter called Susan who died and perhaps this means she has developed a mother like bond to Juliet because it is something she lost
• "he's a man of wax"-The Nurse, Act 1:3


  The Nurse is describing Paris as being the perfect gentleman, like waxwork , he is without flaw
• "women grow by men"-The Nurse, Act 1:3

  One interpretation is that this is an example of the Nurse's physical view of love and is talking about women becoming pregnant. Alternatively, you could argue that the Nurse is saying that by marrying a man like Paris, Juliet will grow in status. Both cases however indicate the patriarchal society in which they live in the Elizabethan era where men control women
• "Go girl, seek happy nights to happy days"-The Nurse, Act 1:3


  She is talking about the sexual side of marriage but also just wants Juliet to be happy. The Nurse uses poetry and not prose which shows that she isn't simply a lower class character as she speaks in blank verse a lot, she has a big role in the play (arguably the catalyst) so Shakespeare also makes her speak in poetry
• "Good Peter, to hide her face, for her fan's the fairer face"-Mercutio, Act 2:4

  "ancient lady"-Mercutio, Act 2:4


  Mercutio mocks the nurse and this could be because he is just a jesting character or because perhaps the nurse is ugly and old- we don't really get any other description
• "Now afore God I am so vexed, that every part of me quivers"-The Nurse, Act 2:4


  We can see that the Nurse is offended by Mercutio's outrageous mocking and continues to sound off (long paragraph) before finally discussing plans for the wedding`
• "if ye should lead her in a fool's paradise"

  "if you should deal double with her"-The Nurse, Act 2:4


  Evidence of Juliet and the Nurse's strong bond, showing her protective side. The Nurse knows the consequences of marrying without parental consent because in those days it was illegal
• "Now God in heaven bless thee"-The Nurse, Act 2:4


  Shows the tension has dropped and the Nurse has forgotten her indignation at Mercutio's rude comments. The Nurse is satisfied that Romeo is not hoaxing Juliet
• "She will be a joyful woman"-The Nurse, Act 2:4


  The Nurse shows her bond with Juliet as she knows now that Romeo will make her happy after arranging the marriage with him
• "Jesu, what haste!"

  "Do you not see that I am out of breath?-The Nurse, Act 2:5


  The Nurse acts as the comic relief and here she deliberately taunts Juliet by withholding the plans she made with Romeo and this increases the tension
• "Well, you have made a simple choice"

  "You know not how to choose men"-The Nurse, Act 2:5


  Interestingly, the Nurse insinuates that Juliet has been foolish and this could be a foreshadowing of the prologue that ultimately this choice will kill them both. Theme of fate is prevalent here
• "though his face be better than any man's"-The Nurse, Act 2:5


  Despite calling Romeo a foolish choice, the Nurse shows her physical view of love by going on to justify the fact that he is at least good looking. The Nurse speaks in prose here which shows again how ultimately the nurse is not Juliet's mother and foreshadows that she will betray Juliet in the end
• "my back, my back"-The Nurse, Act 2:5

  The Nurse seems to have withheld the information for long enough and to the audience, it could seem she is being selfish and unkind at this point
• "Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence' cell"-The Nurse,Act 2:5

  The Nurse is arguably the catalyst in the play as she enables the couple to marry and will enable them to have their wedding night. Ultimately though she will betray Juliet and cause the pair's downfall
• "I must another way, to fetch a ladder"-The Nurse-Act 2:5


  The Nurse is arranging for Romeo to be able to climb into Juliet's room so that they can spend their wedding night together.
• "You shall bear the burden soon at night"- The Nurse-Act 2:5

  One interpretation is that the Nurse is using a sexual innuendo and talking about the lover's imminent wedding night. Alternatively it could act as a forewarning that the nurse is going to betray her later on
• "he's dead, he's dead, he's dead"- The Nurse, Act 3:2


  The Nurse is again being a little teasing as she exclaims about Tybalt's death that Juliet assumes is Romeo's death. However this could also be the hand of fate foreshadowing that soon Romeo will be dead
• "Romeo can, though heaven cannot"-The Nurse, Act 3:2


  The Nurse knows that Romeo killed Tybalt and recognises it as a terrible thing that God himself could not do. Being in a strictly religious society, this is quite a bold statement to make
• "shame come to Romeo"The Nurse "Blistered by thy tongue"-Juliet, Act 3:2


  Previously, the nurse and Juliet shared divided lines which showed that they were in agreement that Romeo was in the wrong however as soon as the Nurse says this, Juliet leaps in to defend him
• "I'll find Romeo to comfort you"-The Nurse, Act 3:2


  Again, the Nurse acts as the catalyst by being the go between and allowing the plot to progress
• "Stand up, stand up; stand an you be a man"-The Nurse, Act 3:3


  The Nurse gives Romeo stern advice to grow up
• "O she says nothing sir, but weeps and weeps"-The Nurse, Act 3;3


  This is a bit of an exaggeration from the Nurse because in fact, Juliet has really matured and has decided her commitment is to Romeo no matter what and she will make the best of the situation
• "Here sir, a ring she bid me give you sir"-The Nurse, Act 3:3


  The Nurse is the catalyst and provides the ring which gives Romeo the strength he needs to leave for Mantua and trust that Juliet loves him
• "Out on her, hilding"- Lord Capulet, Act 3:5

  "God in heaven bless her"-The Nurse, Act 3:5


  The divided line shows that the nurse is quick to step in and defend Juliet when her father threatens to throw her on the streets for not marrying Paris. She appeals to God also which shows she knows things are out of control
• "You are to blame my Lord, to rate her so"-The Nurse, Act 3:5


  The Nurse delivers a brave line as she risks her job. She also shows the mother instinct to protect Juliet that Lady Capulet does not show
• "I speak no treason"-The Nurse, Act 3:5

  Continued motif of Capulet being like a king and to disagree with him is like to speak treason
• "I think it best you married with the County. O he's a lovely gentleman"-The Nurse, Act 3:5


  The Nurse says the worst thing to Juliet she could possibly hear and it is open to interpretation, but the Nurse may not actually believe what she is saying but just trying to keep Juliet safe because Romeo has already been banished. Ultimately she provides Juliet no comfort at all and their bond is instantly broken
• "The County Paris has set his rest that you should rest but little"-The Nurse, Act 4:5


  The Nurse is about to walk in to Juliet dead and is still talking about sex! This shows that her view of love is physical and perhaps fickle because she has moved on from describing Romeo to describing Paris
• "Alas, Alas, help, help, my lady's dead"

  "O lamentable day"-The Nurse, Act 4:5


  The repetitions show just how much of a state the nurse is in. You could ask why Shakespeare let the nurse find Juliet dead and perhaps it is because of her lack of responsibility to comfort her